Guardian Angel
by TikiPrincess
Summary: He always seemed to be there when Beth needed him the most. A Walking Dead AU without the Walkers (or what Bethyl would look like in the real world).
1. Chapter 1

I tried to keep the characters as consistent with the show as possible, but Beth needed college roommates, so Sasha, Amy, and Tara are de-aged and probably OoC.

Trigger warning: This fic contains attempted rape, mentions of sexual assault, and mentions of physical abuse.

Also, I don't have any claims on anything but the arrangement of the words.

* * *

She knew that this was a bad idea. If she'd known what they were planning, she'd never have come in the first place. But she'd shared a dorm room with these three girls for almost two months, and this was the first time she'd agreed to go out with them.

"I'm so glad you came with us, Beth," said Amy, squeezing her hand. She'd been the most persistent, asking Beth to join them every time they went out, long after the others had stopped. "Sasha says it's a local's bar, so they don't card."

"I still don't know why we couldn't go to Jake's." Not that she liked the idea any better, but at least Jake's wasn't too far from campus and she could walk home if she got tired. They'd all piled into Sasha's car to get here, wherever "here" was.

"Because we've been to Jake's for the past three weekends," said Tara. "You chickening out on us, Greene? We can call you a cab once we get to the bar."

"Leave her alone, Tara." Sasha smiled reassuringly. "My brother Tyreese used to go to Woodbury's when he was at Harrison. 'Said the crowd ain't bad and the drinks are cheap, but he forgot to tell me that parking's a bitch. Sorry I couldn't find a place closer."

"We aren't near the docks, are we?" Beth's father had wanted her to attend a college in Atlanta, closer to home, but she'd insisted on Savannah. He refused to compromise until she agreed to stay away from the docks after dark.

"Clear on the other side of town," said Sasha. "Don't worry, Greene, it'll be fine. We'll have fun!"

"Maybe a little liquor will loosen you up," Tara said with a smirk.

"I don't drink," Beth said.

"Well, then, maybe we'll find you a blue-collar stiff. Someone good with his hands."

The other girls burst into giggles, making Beth feel out of place again. They had all these inside jokes, and the three girls had bonded more quickly than she'd been able to. But it wasn't just their friendship that Beth envied. They also didn't seem to have as much trouble adjusting to the college lifestyle. Even Amy, who'd grown up on a small farm like Beth, seemed far more willing to try new things and was eager for new experiences. Beth felt so lost in the crowds of people rushing from one place to the next or lounging around and taking up space like they owned it. It was all so… different than what she'd expected.

"We're here," said Sasha, halting at the corner. A squat, brick building sat across the street, dim lights pouring out of the entryway. It was by far the seediest looking place Beth had ever seen in the city. "Now, remember, follow my lead. We act like we belong. We act like we've done this a million times before."

They all nodded and approached the doorway. A large, muscular black man emerged from the shadows just inside the bar. "Can I help you ladies?"

"Just coming in for a drink." Sasha lifted her chin and tried to skirt past him with an air of nonchalance.

He held out a hand, blocking her way. "IDs first."

Beth gulped, her heart pounding so fast that she could almost hear it thumping against her chest. "You guys, maybe we should—"

"Beth? Beth Greene, is that you?"

She turned towards the voice and saw a tall, thin man walking towards her. There was something familiar about that voice and that walk, but she couldn't put a name to him until he stepped into the light. "Mr. Dixon! How – Well, I never expected to find you here."

"I told you to call me Daryl." He nodded to the bouncer. "Hey, T-Dog. These girls are with me."

"Sure thing, man." T-Dog stepped aside. "Come on in."

Beth felt a little surge of pride as the other girls looked at her, eyes wide with speculation. She smiled and ushered them in. They made a beeline to an empty table at the far side of the room, but she saw Daryl break away and head towards the bar.

"Hey," she said, tapping his arm, "thanks for that."

"Not a problem." The corner of his lip curved up, which was about as much of a smile as Daryl Dixon was willing to give. His hair had gotten longer, the dark locks brushing his cheek and curling at the nape of neck. "'Think your friends are waitin' for you."

She turned to see her roommates gawking at them. "I should…"

He nodded and tilted his head towards the bar. She'd forgotten that he was fluent in the language of head nods and gestures. She replied in kind, smiling and awkwardly waving as she walked away.

"Spill," Tara said the moment Beth got to the table. "And here I thought you wouldn't have to balls to have an illicit affair with a man twice your age."

"Tara! I'm sure it's not like that," said Amy. "How do you know that man? Is he a friend of your father's?"

"Daryl? My father is way older than him." Beth chuckled at the idea of her father and Daryl shootin' the breeze on her front porch. Not that it hadn't happened, but he wasn't anything like her father. "He and his brother Merle worked as farmhands a couple of summers ago."

"And?" asked Tara.

"'And' what?"

"Is he good with his hands?"

The girls burst into another fit of giggles. Beth bit her lip and looked away, still not understanding the joke. "So, how are your classes going, Sasha?"

"I think I'm gonna need a few drinks in me if we're gonna start talking about school, Greene." She smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Why don't you get our drinks, and you can have Daryl help you bring them back?"

"I don't think he'd be too comfortable around a bunch of strangers," said Beth. To be honest, she wasn't exactly comfortable, either.

"Relax, I was just messing with you." Sasha patted her hand. Beth knew that it was meant to be a sympathetic gesture, but it felt condescending instead. "First round's on me, ladies."

The waitress came by to take their order, saving Sasha a trip to the bar. She rolled her eyes at Tara's apple martini and Amy's Midori sour, but she didn't ask for ID. Sasha ordered a beer while Beth stuck with ginger ale. Things got better after the drinks arrived. Tara mellowed out, opening up to tell them that she had a crush on a girl in one of her classes.

"You're not her type," said Sasha after Amy and Tara had run off to the bathroom, leaving her and Beth to watch the table.

"What?" She didn't consider herself homophobic, but she'd never met a lesbian before. She'd been trying to play it cool and not act nervous after Tara's confession.

"I said you're not her type." She smiled before taking another sip of her beer. "Me and Tara had a long talk about it one day 'cause I've never lived with a lesbian either."

"Did she get mad at you for asking questions?"

"Tara's got a loud bark, but she's good people. And she doesn't want to cause drama, at least not the kind that comes with a live-in girlfriend." Sasha's gaze drifted over Beth's shoulder. "You know, for an old guy, your friend's not too bad looking."

Beth twisted in her seat to see Daryl leaning over the pool table. He took his shot, and then another, which made her think he was playing alone. "Sasha, would you mind if I—"

"Go on."

She walked to the pool table, waiting until after he hit the ball to say something. "'There a buy in for this game?"

He looked her over and silently handed over his cue stick. He took another one off the wall as she racked the balls.

"How's Merle?" she asked. She didn't particularly have fond memories of the older Dixon brother, but it was one of the few things she knew about Daryl.

"In prison."

"I'm sorry."

"I ain't." He adjusted the balls she'd set up and then removed the plastic triangle. "You wanna break?"

"I guess." She set the cue ball on the worn green felt, lining up her shot. It was a weak hit, only a few balls rolling feebly away from the center.

He leaned his pole against the table and racked the balls again, scooping up the cue ball. He took the pool stick from her hands and held it out in front of her. "Grab it here and here," he said, pointing to two spots along the length of the pole. She chewed her lower lip as she followed his instructions. "You want this stay as straight as possible when you hit that ball."

She leaned over the table, mimicking his earlier stance.

"Now draw your arm back. See the way your body shifts?" He tapped her hip and her shoulder to indicate the changes in her stance. "You gotta take that into account as you aim."

She nodded and practiced a few times without the ball in front of her. It was easier to focus on her movements after he'd drawn her attention to the important places.

"Good." He set the ball on the table and crouched so that his face was next to hers. "When you draw back, I want you to take a deep breath in. And when you take your shot, you let it out."

She did exactly what he said, hitting the ball squarely in the center. The force of the blow knocked several of the multicolored balls from their tight formation. A few even spiraled across the table and landed in the holes.

"I did it!" She turned to him, a big smile on her face. She was surprised to see a genuine one on his as he stood up.

"That was hot," said Tara from behind them. Her arm was slung around Amy's neck, and they were both a little wobbly. "You guys should make out now or something."

"Tara, I think we ought to get you home." Beth's cheeks were burning from embarrassment. "Thanks for the lesson, Daryl."

"I'll walk you girls back to your car." He gathered the sticks and set them back on the wall. "This ain't exactly the nice part of town."

"I'm sure we'll be fine," she said, not wanting to inconvenience him any further. "There's four of us."

"I wasn't asking."

He followed her back to the table where Sasha and Amy were supporting an increasingly unsteady Tara between them. It probably didn't help that the other two girls weren't sober, either.

A dark-haired man with an eyepatch stepped out from behind the bar. "I'm sorry folks, but you're going to have to leave."

"I'm sorry, sir," said Beth. "We're on our way out."

He eyed Daryl, taking in his worn shoes, torn jeans, leather vest, and the shirt with the sleeves cut off. "Why don't I have some of my boys escort you to your car?"

"I've got it covered," Daryl said.

"What kind of Governor would I be if let these girls on the streets without protection? Martinez. Mitch." He called over two guys from the bar who had been leering at the girls all night. "My boys will make sure you're taken care of."

She felt Daryl stiffen behind her, but he didn't say anything as the men introduced themselves. She noticed that he didn't shake their hands, though.

As they headed towards the door, he grabbed her arm, pulling her close. "You got the keys?" he whispered. She nodded. "'Figured you'd be the only one sober by end of the night. That's good. When I tell you to run, you run. You don't wait for your friends, you just get to that car. Okay?"

She nodded again, swallowing hard to get past the lump in her throat. Daryl didn't scare easily, so it had to be something serious.

"Hey, Daryl," said T-Dog when they'd reached the exit, "you should come by the house tomorrow. We're havin' a barbecue."

She watched Daryl nod and give some indecipherable signal to the other man, who nodded back and followed them outside. Her roommates were a little ways ahead, the two men from the bar close behind them. Then she noticed something strange. "Hey, guys? You're going the wrong way. Our car's in the other direction."

"Well, our car's this way," said one of the men, maybe Martinez? It was hard to tell since they were beyond the circle of light outside the bar. "And The Governor wanted us to make sure you girls were 'taken care of.'"

"Now, Beth," Daryl said, shoving her behind him. "Run."

For a half a second, she hesitated, wishing there were some way to get her friends to safety. But she knew that the best thing she could do was follow Daryl's orders, so she ran. Three, four, five blocks later, she spotted the car, thankful that she'd worn her boots instead of the heels Amy had suggested. She got in and drove down the street to Woodbury's.

T-Dog was standing guard over Sasha and Amy, who were passed out against the side of the building. There was an ugly bruise forming on his cheek. She pulled up beside him and parked the car. "Where's Daryl?"

He pointed down the street. She got out and saw a form walking towards them, too bulky for his lanky frame. That's when she realized that he was carrying Tara. That's when she realized what might have happened if he hadn't shown up, if he hadn't insisted on walking them to the car.

"Daryl, is she…"

"Get in the car." He tucked Tara into the backseat beside Amy. T-Dog had just finished buckling Sasha on the other side. "Wait, no. Gimme the keys. I'll drive."

She walked around the car to hand him the keys. He turned away, trying to keep his face in shadow, but he wasn't quick enough. She'd seen his black eye and split lip. "Oh, Daryl."

He snatched the keys from her hand and turned to T-Dog. "You gonna be alright, man?"

"'Was getting' tired of this place anyways," he said. "Come by tomorrow. We always got room for one more. And you know Carol will be happy to see you."

"I'll think about it." Daryl slid behind the wheel and started the car. "Where you livin'?"

"Freshman dorms at Harrison State." She peered at the girls asleep in the backseat. "You know, I didn't have a drop of alcohol. I should be fine to drive."

"They ain't drunk," he said, glancing over at her before turning his attention back to the road. "Roofies still work in ginger ale. It's just harder to explain."

A shiver ran up her spine. She'd gone to the orientation, gotten her rape whistle, but she didn't really think it was something that could happen to her. She was too cautious, too careful to let herself be in that position again.

Suddenly, there wasn't enough air in the car. She jabbed at the button to lower the window, but it wasn't enough. Her breath was coming out in short gasps.

"Beth? Are you okay?"

Daryl's voice was coming from far, far away. She yanked on the door handle, not caring if the car was moving or not, but it refused to open, refused to let her out. Dizziness started to set in, splotches of black appearing in her vision.

The door opened, cool air rushing in. But it wasn't enough. She was still fading. Gentle hands pulled her from the car, easing her onto the sidewalk.

"Look at me, Beth. Look at me."

"Daryl?" He looked awful, all beat up.

"You gotta focus, Beth. Focus on your breathing. You feel my hand?" She realized that she was lying on the floor. She just wasn't sure how she'd gotten there. But Daryl was with her, had his hand on her stomach, and that meant she was safe. "Breathe in deep. Push my hand up."

She gasped a few times, trying to do what he wanted. It was too hard. There wasn't enough air, and there was blood on his lip.

"Breathe with me, Beth." Somehow, her hand was on his chest, and she could feel it pushing, expanding beneath her fingers. She focused on that, timing her own breaths to the rise and fall of his chest. "That's right. You're gonna be okay."

She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. The cold from the concrete seeped through her clothing, and she missed the warmth of his hand at her stomach.

"Thank you," she said as he helped her sit up.

He grunted and got to his feet. Before he could offer her a hand, the sound of a siren and a flash of lights signaled the presence of a cop car.

"Fuck," Daryl muttered.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A bright beam shined in their faces, obscuring the cop's features.

"Hello, officer." She tried to stand up, but her feet wouldn't cooperate. And Daryl didn't make a move to help her. "I was just having a panic attack, is all."

"This man attack you?" He was on Daryl in an instant, had his face pressed against the car, hands cuffed behind his back.

"No." Beth shook her head, trying to clear the fuzziness away. "No, I—"

"Shane, we got more girls back here," said a voice from the other side of the car. Beth didn't even realize there was another officer.

"One girl wasn't enough for you?" Officer Shane, or whatever-his-name-was, was frisking Daryl, more rough and forceful than necessary. Especially since Daryl wasn't resisting. "You are one sick fuck."

"Miss?" The other officer was crouching beside her now, looking at her with piercing blue eyes. Just like Daryl's, although sometimes it was hard to tell because they were so narrow, like he was always squinting. But she could never forget the blue of his eyes. "Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?"

"Daryl? Daryl saved me." She pushed herself off the floor. "Look, this is all a big misunderstanding."

"You said he attacked you," said Officer Shane, his hand pressed against Daryl's back.

"No, I said I was having a _panic_ attack." She turned towards the more friendly officer. "I started hyperventilating, so Daryl pulled over and helped me calm down."

Officer Friendly nodded. "And the girls in the back?"

"They're my roommates." She winced, knowing that what she was about to say might make the rest of the year unbearable if her roommates got arrested because of her. "We're freshmen at Harrison State. They wanted to drink, and Sasha knew about this local bar where they don't card. We think that one of the bartenders there roofied their drinks."

"This true?" asked Officer Friendly, turning towards Daryl.

"Yeah," Daryl said. "Calls himself 'The Governor.' Seems more like a pirate with that patch over his eye."

"You two know each other?" Officer Friendly gestured from Daryl to her. She nodded. "How?"

"Daryl's a good friend of mine. If he hadn't been there tonight…" She swallowed, looking at her friends' slack faces in the backseat, oblivious to the chaos happening right now. "There were two men who tried to take advantage of us. They're the ones gave him the split lip and black eye. He's the one who kept us safe."

"And what do you get out of it, huh?" said Officer Shane. He shoved Daryl's face into the car. "Why is a man your age hanging out with a sweet, young girl like her? You got some sort of sick fetish for little girls?"

"Shane," Officer Friendly said.

"Huh."

"Shut up." He pushed Officer Shane aside and reached into Daryl's back pocket, pulling out a leather wallet. "Dixon, huh? You related to Merle Dixon?"

"He's my brother," said Daryl.

"Well, that doesn't exactly ease my mind about leaving you with this young girl. Not to mention the other three young girls." Officer Friendly took a deep breath. "But if what you're saying is true, then I think our time would be better spent looking for these attempted rapists and this… piratical bartender. We could press assault charges on the guys that beat you up."

Daryl shook his head.

"Look, officers, we don't want no trouble. I just want to go home." She tried to stifle the sob rising from her throat. It was all too much, getting too difficult to handle. "Please, sir, just let us go."

"I'm sorry you had to go through this, I really am," said Officer Friendly, living up to his nickname. "But you were lucky tonight. You had a friend that you could trust." He unlocked the cuffs, freeing Daryl. "What if there's another girl who isn't so lucky? Who's gonna be there to save her? We could cite that bartender for serving to minors, but that's just a fine. It ain't gonna keep him from preying on others."

Beth looked down, feeling the energy draining out of her. She was just so tired.

"Look, officer," Daryl said, turning around, "all she had to drink tonight was ginger ale. And these other girls are in no position to give their statements."

Officer Friendly leveled his gaze at Daryl, evaluating his appearance the way The Governor had earlier that night. Finally, he reached some sort of decision because he nodded and started walking away.

"Oh, come on!" Officer Shane pounded his fists on the trunk of Sasha's car. "Rick?"

Officer Friendly – Rick – paused and turned around. He pulled out a business card from his pocket, handing it to her. "When your friends wake up, you tell them what happened tonight. You tell them what I told you, and you have them call me. Okay?"

"I will, Officer Fr—" She looked down at the card in her hand. "Sheriff Grimes. I'll have them call you first thing."

He walked away, for good this time, pulling Officer Shane with him. She and Daryl watched them get in the squad car and drive away.

"I'm so sorry for that. It was all my fault." She bit down on her lip. He just shrugged and nodded his head towards the passenger's seat. "I was thinking… I mean, it doesn't seem like I've been drugged, and I don't want to inconvenience you any more than I already have."

"Get in the car, Beth."

Dutifully, she followed his orders. They rode home in silence until they could see the Harrison campus coming into view.

"Why'd you tell 'em that?" he asked.

"Tell 'em what?"

"That I was your friend?"

"Well… you are." Despite the fact that this was the first time she'd seen him in almost two years, she still considered him her friend. She always would, especially after what he'd done for her. "Aren't I your friend?"

He paused at a stop sign and turned to give her one of those long, lingering looks that made her feel like her soul was exposed to him. He ran his tongue across his lips. "'Never thought about it much."

She lowered her head. It was silly of her to think that she'd had any impact on his life at all. She pushed down the pain, put on her smile, and raised her eyes to the road so that she could direct him to her dorm.

They pulled up as close to the door as they could, parking illegally in a disabled spot. She got out and then looked down at her friends in the backseat. Then she looked at the distance to the front door. She was eternally grateful that their room was on the first floor.

He already had Sasha out, draped over his shoulder. His skin looked so much paler next to hers. She tried to tug Tara into standing upright so she could help her back to their room.

"Leave her." He shut the door and pulled her towards the building. "I'll carry them in."

She nodded and fumbled for her keycard to open the door. They walked down the hall until they reached her room. She unlocked it and led him to through the bathroom that she and Amy shared with Sasha and Tara. He laid Sasha down on one of the beds. Beth hoped it was the right one. She walked to the door, wrapping her fingers around the handle.

"Beth?" He put his hand on her shoulder. "You're tired. Why don't you go back to your room and sit down?"

She nodded and gave him her card, propping open this door with a book from the nearest desk. Her tired feet took her back to her own room where her bed beckoned. But she knew the minute her head hit the pillow, she'd be gone. So she sat down at her desk and waited. The door to the other room closed, which meant he'd brought in Tara. She wondered how he knew she was sharing a room with Amy.

He appeared in her doorway, carrying the blond girl in his arms. She chewed her lower lip. Amy was so similar to her that this was probably what it would look like if she were in Amy's place.

"This one hers?" he asked, tilting his head towards the bed closest to the door. She nodded, and he set Amy down. "'Rooms a lot smaller than yours back at the farm."

"'Lot more crowded, too," she said. "But Amy's nice. We're a lot alike, so it's easy to get along."

"Not like you and your sister, huh?" He deposited her keycard and Sasha's car keys on her desk. "You get some rest now."

"Wait." She grabbed his wrist as he turned away. "How you gonna get home?"

"I'll find my way."

"Let me drive you home." His look told her that wasn't an option. "At least let me give you some money for a cab."

She dug through her purse, wondering how much a cab would even cost. His hand closed over hers, and she stilled. "I don't need your money, Beth."

"Daryl, I can't thank you enough for what you did today. You saved me. Again."

She looked at him, standing in front of her, and she could feel his closeness. The air was thinning, but it didn't affect her the way it did in the car. Instead, it left her senses sharper so she could smell the cigarette smoke and leather and engine oil and sweat that made up his scent. She could see the blood vessels beneath his black eye, the cracked skin near the scab that was forming on his lip. She could feel the rough callouses of his fingers on her hand, the warmth of his body. She could hear her own heart beating in her ears, and she wondered what it would be like to taste him.

He leaned down, and her heartbeat quickened. "You make sure they talk to that sheriff tomorrow, alright? I'm gonna give you my number, and you call me if you get into any trouble."

She swallowed and nodded.

He wrote his phone number on a slip of paper and handed it to her. "Promise me you'll stay out of the bad parts of town."

"I will," she said, regretfully, knowing that this promise would reduce her chances of coincidentally running into Daryl again. "I promise."

He grunted in response and left, the door closing behind him. She looked down at the paper, repeating the digits over and over until they were burned in her memory. Then she pinned it to her bulletin board, turned out the lights, and crawled into bed. Just as she'd predicted, sleep came almost instantly, and her thoughts on Daryl Dixon continued into her dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

Beth glared at her phone. She was running out of options.

"Suck it up, Greene," said Tara, poking her head from the adjoining bathroom. "You're just going to have to spend the weekend in a tent with a juicy piece of man-meat."

"I thought you like girls." Beth had become far more comfortable around her roommates since that awful night last month, and she realized that Tara's remarks and jibes weren't mean-spirited. In fact, the more polite Tara was, the more reason there was to fear her. "Why are you calling Zach a 'hunky piece of man-meat'?"

"So you _do_ think he's a hunk!_ I_ said 'juicy' not 'hunky'." She ran a brush through her hair, the brown locks ending right above her shoulders. "Anyways, just because I prefer to kiss girls doesn't mean I can't appreciate the male form."

"I barely know him." Beth sighed. Zach was a nice guy, and it had been sweet of him to offer to share his tent with her. "How am I supposed to get an 'A' on this project when I can't get any sleep on account of having some stranger next to me all night?"

"Or you could have some wild, monkey sex since you're not sleeping anyways?" She ducked as Beth threw a crumpled up paper at her. "Seriously, though, you're not gonna sleep outside, and you can't miss this trip, or else you're gonna have to write some boring fifteen-page paper when you could've gotten an easy 'A' while sitting around a campfire, eating 'smores."

She was right. Beth needed to go. If she'd taken the time to make friends with the girls in her class, this wouldn't be such a problem. But she was shy around new people, and by the time this trip had rolled around, most of the others had already made plans or had their own equipment and didn't have to share. She would, too, if Maggie would meet her at the campground, but her sister was being stubborn.

"Just call him, already, Greene." Tara disappeared into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Beth picked up her phone and stared at it, willing it to give her an answer. Taking a deep breath, she let her fingers fly across the keys because if she stopped to think about it, she'd chicken out and hang up.

The phone rang once. Twice. "Hello?"

"Hi. Can I speak to Mr. Dixon, please?"

"How many times I gotta tell you to call me Daryl, Beth?"

"I was- I was just being polite," she stuttered. "How'd you know it was me, anyways?"

"I don't give my number to too many people."

"Oh." She wasn't sure how that made her feel, knowing that she was among a privileged few.

"You got trouble?" he asked. That was the reason he'd given her his number in the first place. And she hadn't had a need to call him since then, even though she'd wanted to see him.

"Sort of. Not really trouble." She tried to figure out the best way to explain her situation, and he waited patiently for her to speak. "I gotta go on a camping trip this weekend for my Geology class, and I asked Maggie if she could meet me at the campsite with my gear, but she says I should've grabbed it the last time I was home, like a responsible person would, so she's not going to come."

"Mmmm." This was new territory for her, interpreting his grunts over the telephone. She wasn't sure if that was a "yes" or a "no" or a "why did I give you my number, again?"

"So, I was wondering if you know how I can borrow some camping stuff? Or where I might be able to get some real cheap? I just need a tent and a roll. The college is providing the meals and things. Oh, and maybe a compass?"

"Where you campin'?"

"Umm, at the base of Blood Mountain?" she said, consulting the packet she'd gotten from the teacher. "You know the area?"

"I know it." There was a long pause, but she didn't have anything else to say, so she remained quiet. "I got some stuff you can use. Where should I meet you?"

Beth breathed a sigh of relief. "You could come by my dorm. Or I can ask Sasha if I can borrow her car, and I can meet you somewhere? Seems only right since you're the one doing me the favor."

"I meant… Which campgrounds you stayin' at?"

"Oh." She flipped through her papers. "It looks like it's some sort of special site, only available to colleges and universities and stuff. But, Daryl, it's a four-hour drive to get there. You don't have to go all that way when I'm right here."

"How many people are in your class?"

"Around forty."

"Guys and girls?"

"Mmmhmm." She didn't like the direction his questions were headed. She'd thought that he, at least, would understand how hard it was for her to make friends. "Girls that ain't sharin' a tent with someone got their own gear, like I was supposed to, only I gotta pick it up from the farm if I wanna use it. There was one guy who offered. We've met up to study over coffee a few times, but I hardly know him."

"You're usin' my things, I gotta be there."

"It ain't that hard to set up a tent, Daryl." Her breath came out in a huff. She was so tired of everyone treating her like a child. "Maybe I should just get a tarp and some rope. I mean, I still remember what you taught me about bein' outdoors. Sure, it's not as warm in November as it is during the summer, but it's only for a few nights."

"You ever slept without your covers on this time of year? Ever slept outside past mid-September?"

"No."

"I have." Another reminder of how very little she'd done in her life. "Camping gear's yours if you want it, but I come with it."

She sighed. Calling him hadn't solved her problem at all. Now she had to decide if she wanted to share a tent with Zach or share a tent with Daryl. Actually, the answer to that was easy. But what she wanted and what she was willing to ask for were two very different things.

o)O(o

"I'm glad you changed your mind," said Zach from the seat next to her in the van. "And don't worry, I'll be a perfect gentleman. I promise to keep my hands inside my sleeping bag the entire time."

"You don't have to do that," she said. "I mean, it's your tent. I'm the one imposing."

"I just want you to see that I'm a nice guy. And maybe next weekend, we can go out for more than coffee?"

She chewed at her bottom lip, regretting her decision for the millionth time. She didn't want to lead Zach on or let him think that she was interested in being more than friends. If it wasn't for the fact that she would have felt so guilty about making Daryl spend a whole weekend babysitting her just so she could borrow his stuff, she wouldn't be sharing a tent with Zach at all. She'd be cozy and dry inside Daryl's tent and Daryl's sleeping bag all by her lonesome. Instead, she was going to spend the night in Amy's sister's sleeping bag inside Zach's tent.

"So, what do you think?" he asked again.

"I don't know. Maybe?"

He smiled and squeezed her hand. Then, he wouldn't let it go for the rest of the ride to the campgrounds. Not that she pulled away. She didn't want to make things uncomfortable this weekend. She could let him down easy next weekend. Over coffee.

Their van was one of the last to reach the park, so there wasn't much time to look for a spot before they had to run to the amphitheater for final instructions from their professor. It wasn't anything that he hadn't told them before. Collect rock samples and record geological formations. Travel in groups, no drinking for anyone under twenty-one, which was most everybody, they were all adults and expected to behave that way, and tents provided very little privacy, so please be considerate to others who might want to sleep at night. Then they were set free.

It was an hour or two until sunset, and Beth knew that they'd need that time to set up the tent. So she walked the loop around camp, trying to find a spot to settle in. Unfortunately, all the spots in the center had been taken by the large groups who wanted to hang out or the individuals who, despite not wanting to share, didn't want to be alone. That left the outer ring of sites, most of which were occupied by couples since these offered more distance between the tents.

Zach was standing a few spots further down the loop, and she made her way to him. "I didn't have any luck," she said. "What about you?"

He pointed to the area of brush in front of him.

"That's not a spot."

"Look again."

She did. He was right. It was easy to overlook because the clearing was set further back from the dirt road. "There has to be another spot."

"You can try walking around again, but it'll be dark soon." He pointed towards the setting sun. "I didn't plan this, I promise. And I will keep my hands inside my sleeping bag whenever you're in the tent with me. Okay?"

She nodded and took the tent poles from him, helping him set up in the clearing. When they were done, they stowed their things inside and headed to the big concrete mess hall near the amphitheater. It was definitely one of the easier ways to make sure the campers didn't attract any bears by not properly storing their food. What college student was going to bring her own stuff when meals were being provided for them?

After grabbing their trays of food, Zach led her to a table with a few spaces left, even though there were plenty of empty tables in the room. She soon found out that he lived on the same floor as one the guys and gone to high school with another. All through dinner, he kept touching her in little ways, putting his hand on hers, brushing hair from her face, patting her arm. She bore it silently and tried to be as polite to his friends as possible, but she was wore out long before she reached her dessert.

"What do you think?" he asked. "Should we join them?"

"I'm sorry?" said Beth, completely unaware of what he'd been talking about.

"The guys are setting up a bonfire at their spot. Wanna go?"

"I'm a little tired, and we've got an early start tomorrow. I think I'm just gonna turn in."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "But you should go hang out. I'm a heavy sleeper, you won't wake me when you get back."

"No, I'll come with you."

He gathered their trays as he stood up and bid his friends good night, then he followed her back to their tent. True to his word, he waited outside while she changed. She offered to do the same for him, but he told her to stay. So, she did the next best thing, turning her back to him and facing the side of the tent while he rustled around behind her.

"Well, good night," he said.

"Good night."

She lay there the rest of the night with her back to him, unable to feel comfortable enough to get more than a moment or two of sleep. Although she'd lied about being a heavy sleeper, she'd hoped to get a few hours or so of peace while he was out. But he was a nice boy and thought he was doing the right thing by keeping her company instead of spending time with his friends.

When the sun broke over the trees to the east, she was already dressed and showered, waiting for breakfast to be served. She knew that with her lack of sleep she'd need food to keep up her energy. Not that they were supposed to be traveling very far from camp. All of the nearby trails were clearly marked, and they weren't allowed beyond the purple flags that indicated the edge of the private grounds. Still, she planned to stick a few extra goodies in her backpack.

Zach arrived at the mess hall just as she was leaving. "Hey, Beth. You were up early this morning."

"Habit from growing up on a farm, I guess," she said. "Do you mind grabbin' me an extra sack lunch? I may not look like much, but I can eat."

"Sure," he said. He smiled at her and took her hand as she turned to leave. "Why don't you come sit with me, and then we can meet Alex and Meghan at the trail when I'm done?"

"Alex and who?"

"My friends from last night. They're the other couple we're going hiking with."

Beth's smile faltered. 'Other couple'? Did they think she and Zach were a couple? Maybe she should straighten this out now instead of next weekend. If only she didn't have to stay in his tent tonight. No, it would have to wait until the bus ride back. She pulled her hand away. "I want to go over my notes before we head out, so I'll meet you at the trailhead. Okay?"

"Sure." He gave her a soft smile. "By the way, your hair looks really pretty today."

Her hand flew to the braid in her blond hair. It had been a long morning, and she'd been really bored. "Thanks."

A little while later, she stood at the start of the dirt trail, impatiently waiting for Zach and his friends. It was mid-morning by the time they came traipsing towards her, and she was eager to be on her way. Meghan walked beside her, keeping up the chatter as they ambled along the worn path, talking about clothes and make up and school and home. Beth was thankful that she didn't have to do much to hold up her end of the conversation.

They traveled deeper into the woods, collecting samples and taking pictures. When they'd found about half the items on the list, Zach pulled Beth back so that Alex could walk next to Meghan. "Having fun?"

"It's nice being outdoors," she said, smiling brightly. "Not quite like being on the farm, but it's nice in its own way."

"So, you're a farm girl, huh? I grew up in the city, but we'd go camping every summer. Plus, I've got all the important Boy Scout badges." He shot her an exaggerated wink. "I'll keep you safe."

"I'm sure we'll be fine so long as we stay on the trail." She looked up, realizing that they'd slowed down quite a bit. She couldn't even hear Meghan's voice anymore. "I think we lost them. We should hurry up."

"It's okay. They're fine." Her confused look prompted further explanation. "They ducked off the trail to go make out somewhere."

"What about the project?"

"We've got plenty of time." He held up his hands as she glared at him. "Hey, I thought you knew. People take the class for the express purpose of hooking up on this trip."

"No, I didn't know. I took this class because it's an undergrad requirement." She felt sick, horribly, horribly sick. "Is that what you thought? Did you offer to share your tent because you wanted to sleep with me?"

"What? No," he said with a frown. "I mean, yeah, I'd like to get to know you better. You're gorgeous." He grabbed her hand, and it took every ounce of her willpower not to pull away. "But I know you're not like that. You're shy and sweet. You're the kind of girl I wanna take home to meet my mom."

She thought over the last few days, every interaction between them. Although he'd been nothing but nice to her and a perfect gentleman, she still felt betrayed. "I think we should find them and go back to camp. And then I think I should find somewhere else to sleep tonight."

He let go and looked down at the ground. "No, you should take the tent. I'll see if I can squeeze in with one of the boys."

"Thank you, but—"

"I insist. It's the least I could do." He squared his shoulders and walked off the trail. "Come on. They can't have gotten far."

She hesitated, knowing that it was dangerous to leave the path. However, the sooner they found Meghan and Alex, the sooner they could go back to camp and leave this whole debacle behind them. Besides, the purple flags would keep them from going off the private grounds. Taking a deep breath, she trudged into the brush, calling out his friends' names.

o)O(o

They broke through the trees and into a small clearing, bordered by a fallen tree that Beth tiredly plopped down onto. She pulled the second sack lunch out of her backpack, the first one only a vague memory from hours ago.

"Shouldn't you save that for tomorrow?" asked Zach.

"We have to keep our energy up if we want to make it through the night." The light was fading, and she could already feel the cold settling in.

"I'm sorry I got us lost." He took the half a sandwich that she offered him. "Maybe I could build a fire or something. It'd keep us warm, and maybe someone would see it."

"You got any matches? A lighter?" A shake of his head told her what she already knew. "Neither do I. But if you wanna try rubbin' two sticks together, go for it."

"What about shelter?" he said, perking up again. "We could build some sort of shelter to keep us warm."

"We got everything we need right here." She thumped the log beneath her. "If we break off some branches and lean 'em against the trunk, it'll give us some protection from the cold."

"'Least you remembered that much from what I showed you," said Daryl.

She breathed a sigh of relief as he emerged from behind a tree, shouldering a shotgun. Zach, however, turned and stiffened when he saw Daryl, immediately positioning himself in front of her. "We don't want any trouble, mister."

"Relax, Romeo." Daryl's eyes narrowed as he looked at them. "I'm not here for you."

Shaking her head, Beth brushed past Zach to stand in front of Daryl. "How'd you find us?"

He shrugged. "Folks down at camp said you was missing. Followed your tracks here."

"You know this redneck?" Zach looked from her to Daryl, confusion on his face.

"Anyone else?" she asked, ignoring Zach's question. "We went off the trail looking for his friends."

Daryl shook his head. "You were the only ones." He scanned the clearing. "Could set up here tonight, but there's a stone shelter near the summit. It'd be warmer than camping out here."

"How far?"

"Mile. Mile and a half."

"In the dark?"

"Y'all are less than a quarter-mile from the trail."

She let out a rueful chuckle. A quarter of a mile. "I guess we should get to the trail before we lose the light." Hitching her backpack higher on her shoulders, she glanced at Zach. "You comin'?"

He nodded, eyeing Daryl warily as they followed him through the woods.

The trail was exactly where he said it would be, which was a good thing because the last mile was fairly strenuous uphill. They'd had to pull out their flashlights by the time they reached the summit. The promised stone shelter looked run down and the smell of piss permeated the air.

"I am _not _sleeping in there," she said.

"Ain't so bad. Couple mice running around, but at least it's got a wooden floor." She could feel him smirking at her, but when she shined the light at him, he was just giving her a questioning look.

"Tent."

He sighed and set down his pack, pulling out a tarp and some ropes. She shook her head, trying not to smile as she helped him tie the rope between two trees to make a tent, thankful that the spot was upwind of the building. Then Daryl handed her a sleeping bag.

"Do I get one?" Zach asked. She'd almost forgotten about him.

"I only brought one for her and one for me," said Daryl as spread out his roll onto the ground.

"Daryl," she said, tapping his shoulder, "he'll freeze without one."

"Well, he should've thought of that before he got you lost in these woods." He slid into the sleeping bag, scooting around until he'd found a comfortable position.

"Daryl." He grunted in response, and she let out a frustrated breath. Stomping over to where Zach stood, she shoved her roll at him. "Here."

"Beth, I can't—"

"You're damn right you can't," said Daryl. "Beth, you get over here and you get in that sleeping bag."

"I'm not letting him freeze." She crossed her arms as she glared at both of them now that Daryl had wriggled his way out of his sleeping bag to stand in front of her.

"We could share—"

"Oh no, you don't, Romeo." Daryl grabbed the roll out of Zach's arms. "She's not sleepin' with you, and there ain't room in my sack for both of us."

"Then I'll sleep with _you_," she yelled. When they both stared at her with their mouths open, she realized that she could have phrased that better. "I mean, Daryl, do you mind if I share your sleeping bag? I'm small, shouldn't take up too much room."

"Beth," said Zach, yanking the roll from Daryl and pulling her aside, "I get that you know him, or whatever, but he's old enough to be your father. I just don't know that I'd be comfortable with you sleeping beside him."

"That's not exactly your choice, is it?" She slipped her arm from his grip. "And I trust him a lot more than I trust you right now."

He stared down at her for a few moments before shaking his head as he walked away. After he left, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the tension flow from her muscles.

"You don't have to share with me," said Daryl as he walked up to stand beside her. "I should be fine sleeping on top."

"It's been a long day," she said, opening her eyes, "and I'm exhausted. But I think I'd be too worried about you being cold to get any sleep."

He looked into her eyes, searching for something only he could see, and then nodded. He led her back to the tent where Zach was already settled. She took off her shoes and outer layers before slipping into the sleeping bag. After rustling around a bit, he joined her, zipping the sleeping bag closed to keep the warmth in. She'd meant to turn around and tell him thanks for saving her again, but her eyelids were too heavy and his body was pressed against her back and she quickly drifted off to sleep in the safety and warmth of his presence.

When the early morning light woke her up, she was alone in the sleeping bag with Zach snoring next to her. She got out, laced up her shoes, and left the confines of the makeshift tent. Daryl sat by the fire, chewing on something.

"Whatcha eatin'?"

"Mouse," he said. He shot her a sly smile when she looked at him in disbelief. "Jerky. Want some?"

She took a piece and sat down beside him. "You ever eaten a mouse?"

He shook his head. "Too much work for somethin' so small. 'Rather nab a squirrel, but a rabbit's even better."

"Thanks for coming," she said, quietly. "I'm sorry I'm so much trouble."

"You ain't trouble." He glanced at her before staring back at the fire. "Just had a string of bad luck is all."

"Do you think you could teach me to be… better?" She chewed her lower lip before continuing. "I'm tired of being weak. I'm tired of being afraid."

He was silent for a long while, so long that she thought he was going to refuse. "Yeah, I can teach you."

"Thank you."

They slid back into a comfortable silence until they heard Zach moving around in the tent. Without a word, they both got up and started breaking down camp, as if it were a familiar routine. When everything had been packed away, they headed down the trail. It was a short hike to civilization, but they'd ended up several miles from the university's campgrounds. Daryl threw their things in his truck and drove them down to the site.

By the time she got out of the truck, Zach was already heading towards the loop back to his tent. She walked around to the driver's side. "Thanks again, Daryl."

"You headin' back to Savannah?" he asked as he leaned out the window.

"Sometime this afternoon." She hesitated, not wanting him to leave just yet.

"You wanna ride back now? I can wait."

"No, I've bothered you enough," she said. In truth, she didn't have a reason to be standing here, but she didn't really want to go back to camp either.

"I ain't bothered." He looked at her with that stoic expression on his face, so she didn't know if he meant it or if he was just being polite. "You need a ride or not?"

She nodded, her lips pressed together in a tight line.

"Well, get your stuff. I'll be here."

A relieved smile broke across her face, and she ran to grab her things. Luckily, Zach wasn't there, but Meghan was.

"Beth, are you okay?" The other girl swept her into a big hug, and Beth awkwardly hugged her in return. "Zach told me what an awful night you two had."

"It wasn't so bad," said Beth. "Actually, can you let the professor know that I got a ride back?"

"With who?" Meghan's eyes widened. "That old man that you slept with?"

"Daryl's not… he's older, but he's not old. And nothing happened, we just slept." She shook her head. "It's not like that between us."

"So he's like your brother?"

"No."

"Father?"

"No!"

"Are you interested in him?"

"No… I don't know." Beth wondered why she was even talking to this girl that she'd just met the other day. "Look, Daryl is a friend. And he's giving me a ride back to the dorm. So can you tell the professor that, in case he asks. Okay?"

"Okay," she said, brightly.

Beth scooped up her things and climbed into the passenger seat of Daryl's truck where she spent the next few hours in blissful solitude beside him.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh, a present!" said Amy, peering around the closet door. "Who's it for?"

"Daryl." Beth sat at her desk, adjusting the bow until it was straight, and then held up the package for inspection. "Do you think he'll like it?"

"I'm sure he'll love it," she said brightly before turning away to pull more clothes out of the closet. A little too brightly. "You still seeing him today? I thought your sister was picking you up this afternoon."

"We're meeting for coffee. I wanted to say goodbye before I left." Beth tucked the present into her purse, but she looked up when she heard her roommate sigh. "What's wrong, Amy?"

"This thing with you and Daryl," Amy said as she stuffed laundry into a plastic garbage bag, "you guys are just friends, right?"

"Of course," said Beth, trying to hide her confusion. "Why are you asking?"

"I'm just… I'm worried, okay?" Amy plopped onto her bed, across from Beth's chair, and took a deep breath. "I've heard people talkin'. About you. And some older guy, who I'm guessin' is Daryl. Unless you've got some other DILF I don't know about?"

Beth knew that Amy was trying to lighten up the situation, but the thought of people talking about her, about her and Daryl, was just too embarrassing. And she had no idea what a DILF was. "What are they saying?"

"Beth, honey, you go out with him every weekend."

"During the day! Not like we've been goin' out on dates or anythin'." It was true that they'd met every Saturday for over a month now, ever since he brought her back from the field trip. He'd started her off in the woods where she'd learned to be more observant of her surroundings by tracking animals. After that, they'd walked all over the city until she could navigate the streets of Savannah as well as she could her small hometown. Running away wasn't her idea of self-defense, but Daryl insisted that it was almost always the best option. Wherever they spent the day, though, he'd walk her to her dorm room around six, no later than six-thirty, and then leave. Even when she invited him to stay for dinner. "Look, we're just training. I'm learning how to be independent, take care of myself, you know?"

"I know that, I do," Amy said, clasping Beth's hands. "And I like Daryl. I can't thank him enough for pullin' us out of that mess at the bar."

"But?"

"But maybe you should try hanging out with people your own age." Amy held on tight, despite her roommate's attempts to pull away. "Beth, college is all about new experiences, breaking out of your parents' expectations, becoming more 'you.' And I get that you and Daryl have history. I'm glad that you two are friends. But are you sure you're not just clingin' to him because he's comfortable? He's safe?"

Beth bit her lip and tried not to squirm under the weighty truth of Amy's words. There was no one in the world who made her feel more safe than Daryl. But their friendship was also far more complicated than she'd been willing, or ready, to explain to the other girls. "I'm sorry I've been such a wet blanket."

"No, I didn't mean it that way." Amy sighed, tucking her leg beneath her. "I just don't want to see you cut yourself off from other possibilities because of this thing you have with him."

Beth rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I don't have a _thing_ with Daryl."

"Good," said Amy, the wrinkles on her brow smoothing over until she noticed that Beth wasn't exactly pleased with her reaction. "I mean, he's nice and all, but he's so much older. And you're young, pretty. I don't wanna see you get hurt or, um, do something you might regret because he's got more experience or whatever."

"Daryl's had plenty of opportunities, and he's never tried anything. Not once," Beth said, glaring at the other blond. "He didn't take advantage of _you_ when he quite easily could have. And he wouldn't let you get taken advantage of, either. So, excuse me if I'd rather spend my time with someone who makes me feel comfortable and safe than worry about whether my drink has been drugged or what might happen if I get stuck alone in the room with some guy I just met."

"If you went out with us, you'd realize that we don't do stuff like that anymore." Amy let out a groan of frustration, running her hands through her hair. "We stick to college bars, only drink from unopened bottles or cans. We even went downtown and talked to that sheriff, like you told us to."

"Well, I'm glad." Beth stood up, tempering her words with a smile. "But I don't wanna live my life like that. I wanna be able to walk home by myself. I don't wanna be afraid. And Daryl's helping me do that."

"I'm sorry, okay?" Amy reached out again, apologetically laying her hand over Beth's. "I just… I see the way you are about him and figured there might be something more."

A little knot formed in Beth's stomach. She thought she'd been so careful about hiding it. "We're just friends. He doesn't feel that way about me."

"And what do you feel?" asked Amy. But Beth's answer was written all over her face. "Sweetie, a guy his age is lookin' to settle down, and you're just starting out."

"I know." Beth closed her eyes, giving her heart a moment's respite from the cage she'd constructed around it. Her eyes were dry, though, when she opened them again. "It doesn't matter, anyways, because he sees me as a friend. Nothing more."

"Maybe it's for the best, alright?" Amy stood up and enveloped her in a warm hug. Beth returned the embrace, knowing in the back of her mind that her roommate was probably right. Things were tangled enough between her and Daryl without throwing romance into the mix. "You should go and give your 'friend' his Christmas present. I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

Beth nodded, giving Amy one last hug before scooping up her purse and leaving. When she got off the bus and arrived at the café, Daryl was leaning against a motorcycle with a cup of coffee in each hand. He'd even completed the look with the addition of a black leather vest to his usual wardrobe of jeans, work boots, and flannel shirt.

"You trade in the truck?" she asked, taking a coffee from him.

"Merle asked me to pull his bike out of impound. I can bring the truck next time if you're worried about ridin'," said Daryl. But Beth's look of concern was less about falling off and more about holding on. It was one thing to pretend that she didn't feel any differently about him. It was a whole other thing to wrap her arms around him, press her chest against his back, and pray to God that he didn't notice how rapidly her heart was beating.

"It's fine, I don't mind riding." She stared intently at the cup in her hands, hoping her cheeks weren't as red as they felt. Maybe she could blame it on the cold. "Can't today, though. Maggie's picking me up soon."

"Forgot you was goin' on break." He took a sip of his coffee, black and strong, roasted almost to the point of bitterness. She'd tried it once and almost spit it out, earning a chuckle from him. It was the kind of brew he grew up on, he'd said, from diners and truck stops instead of fancy places that used paper cups and plastic lids. "How long'll you be gone?"

"I'm comin' back the second week of January, a few days before Spring Semester starts." She sipped hers, two sugars and a dash of cream, just the way she liked it. Too bad it didn't have an extra shot of 'courage.' "Maybe we can start going to the gym then?"

"And do what?"

"Work out?" she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I told you I don't wanna be weak anymore. How else am I gonna build up some muscle?"

"You ain't weak." He scratched at the scruffy hair of his goatee. "You ain't strong, physically, but that don't make you weak."

Beth glanced up in surprise, her blue eyes meeting his as he gave her another one of those soul-searching stares. She could feel herself blushing, but she didn't care. "You really think so?"

"I know it," he said, the corner of his lip lifting in a ghost of a smile. "Come on, I'll give you a ride back to school."

"Okay." She accepted the helmet he offered, setting down her purse and coffee to put it on. "Oh, wait! I almost forgot." The bow had gotten a little smushed, but the present was otherwise perfect. "Your Christmas gift."

His eyes bounced from her face to her hand and back again as if she was holding a tiny unicorn instead of a present. He took the package gingerly in his hands. "I didn't get you anything."

"You don't have to. You bought me coffee. And you've been putting up with me for the past month and a half." Her chuckle faded as she reflected on how much she owed him, instead of the other way around. No amount of presents could make up the difference. "Anyways, it ain't much."

He peeled back the wrapping, taking more care than she thought he would. The picture on the CD case was one she'd had on her laptop of the two of them on the front porch. She'd cropped it so that it was just their feet dangling in case he didn't want to explain who that girl in the picture with him was.

"Tara's girlfriend is a Music major, so she helped me record some songs in the studio," said Beth, fiddling with the straps on her helmet. "I couldn't think of anything to get you, 'least nothin' I could afford. But I had fun makin' it, writin' out songs and stuff."

"Thanks," he said, tucking the CD into the inside pocket of his vest. "I remember you singin'. It was nice."

She felt a little rush of pleasure that he'd kept the memory of those nights. "My singin' didn't annoy you?"

"Only when you tried to rap."

"Was that a joke, Mr. Dixon?"

"What can I say? I'm a funny guy." He tried to maintain a straight face, but his thin-lipped smile kept breaking through. "Hurry up and get on 'fore you ruin my hard-earned rep."

She laughed, grabbing their drinks and tossing them in the trash before she settled onto the cushioned seat behind him. This was the moment she'd been anticipating. And dreading. Her hands slid around Daryl's waist, beneath the worn leather to the softer flannel of his shirt. He placed his hand over hers, making sure they were locked together, and moved them up so her arms were clutching him at the base of his ribcage. She laid her head on his back and felt the embroidered wings on his vest press into her cheek.

The ride home seemed to happen in that space between infinities where time moved too slow and too fast all at once. Her senses were alive, cold air whipping through her heavy woolen sweater, the roar of the engine masking the thump of her heart against her chest. The world passed in a blur of color without the filtering glass of a car window. Occasionally, the odor from a nearby restaurant masked his scent. Beth would close her eyes and bury her nose into his back until it was filled with leather and stale cigarettes, sweat and engine oil, and that thing that was so uniquely Daryl. And then they were suddenly in front of her building only moments after they left the coffee shop.

Reluctantly, she let go and swung her leg around to get off the bike. She removed her purse from the folds of her sweater, setting it onto the seat behind Daryl so she could remove her helmet. "Thanks for the ride."

"Thanks for the present."

"Beth Greene, I hope to God you did not just get off that motorcycle," said Maggie. Beth turned to see her sister slam the door of their old SUV and stride towards them. "Daddy is gonna be so pissed when he meets this new boyfriend of—Daryl?"

"Hey there, Maggie," he said, shutting off the engine. Beth silently prayed that he was oblivious to her desperate desire to strangle her sister.

"I didn't know you were livin' here in Savannah." Maggie smiled as she shook his hand.

"Moved here about a year ago. Ran into Beth at a, um… We ran into each other a couple months back."

"Well, I'm glad she's got someone around to watch out for her."

"She does alright by herself," he said, smiling as he caught Beth's eye over Maggie's shoulder. "To be honest, it's nice to have a familiar face, takin' pity on me and joinin' me for coffee sometimes."

"Either way, it makes me feel so much better havin' someone close by that we know and trust. Daddy wanted her to go somewhere in Atlanta, close to home, but Beth had her heart set on goin' away." Maggie pulled her over and gave her a squeeze. Beth was just waiting for her sister to lick her thumb and wipe some imaginary speck of dirt off Beth's face because that would only be slightly less embarrassing than what was happening right now. "Although I hope she isn't constantly followin' you around like she did when you were working for us."

"Maggie!" Closing her eyes, Beth took a deep breath and let it out. She was hoping that when she opened them again, her sister would be gone or there would be some giant hole leading to China that she could disappear into. But she had no such luck. "I think Daryl's heard enough. And we should probably hit the road if we wanna beat traffic."

"You're right," said Maggie. She raised her hand, giving him a little wave. "Bye, Daryl. It was good seeing you again."

"Bye, Maggie." He kicked on the engine and started walking his bike backwards out of the parking space. "Beth, see you when you get back?"

She nodded and waved, chewing on her bottom lip as she watched him go.

o)O(o

Christmas was a quiet affair with just her, Maggie, and Daddy celebrating. Though it had been three years since the accident, it was still hard not to feel the loss of Momma and Shawn. Maggie tried cooking up the special roast for Christmas dinner again, but it wasn't the same. Out of habit, Beth baked batch after batch of holiday cookies. Daddy ended up sending most of his clients home with a plate since no one else seemed to have Shawn's appetite or metabolism.

After Christmas came the long days and even longer nights of vacation. Beth tried to fill the hours with chores and visits to high school friends, but her evenings were usually spent watching movies in the living room with Maggie. Her sister's choices had been strange lately, ranging from dramas like _Gran Torino_ to comedies like _Grosse Pointe Blank_. And then there was last night's selection – a Korean movie called _Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance_. While the movie had been good, her sister had never had an interest in foreign films before.

Maggie was upstairs when Beth heard a knock at the front door. She wasn't expecting anyone, although sometimes Daddy's clients visited at odd hours. And he couldn't exactly be picky since he'd lost a lot of clients after relocating his veterinary practice from an office in town to one in his home almost twenty miles away. Instead of a sick puppy or other emergency, however, she found a familiar looking Asian guy holding up what appeared to be her dinner. "Pizza again?"

"Hey," said the pizza boy, "you must be Beth."

"Hang on, I'll get you the cash."

She went to the kitchen, opening a drawer and pulling out the envelope with their take-out budget. It was fuller than she expected, especially since they'd had pizza delivered four or five times in the last two weeks. She was actually surprised that Maggie had found a place willing to make the drive. Maybe there was an extra mileage charge or something.

From the sound of voices in the other room, Maggie had finally come downstairs. Beth pushed open the kitchen door, envelope in hand. "How much is—"

"—full of twists and turns. I just had no idea what was gonna come next," said Maggie, smiling at the delivery boy. He, meanwhile, had the most earnest, goofiest grin as he listened to her. "In fact, I liked it so much that we're watching _Oldboy_ tonight."

"Oh man, that one is intense. My sister and I watched it when I took an Asian studies class in college," he said. Beth noticed that he was holding the pizza box to the side, out of the way so he could stand closer to Maggie. "You've gotta tell me what you think about it."

"Does this mean we're having pizza again tomorrow?" asked Beth, deciding it was time to pay her sister back for embarrassing her in front of Daryl. "Or we can talk about it over coffee? Isn't there one across the street from your shop?"

"Umm, yeah, I like coffee," he said, glancing at Maggie. "I mean, if you like coffee, we could have coffee."

"I actually like tea better." Maggie's voice went up at the end, making it sound more like a question than a statement. "But they have tea at Koffee Klatch too, right?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure they do."

"Great, then it's a date," said Beth. She handed the money over, still unsure of how much they owed, but she was pretty certain that the delivery boy didn't really care if he was getting short-changed. As she was taking the pizza from him, she decided to go one step further. "Oh my goodness. I completely forgot that I promised Daddy I'd help him, umm, do some paperwork."

The poor guy's shoulders slumped for a second before he pulled himself together. "Maybe another time, then?"

"No, you two should go while the movie is still fresh in her mind." Beth smiled at her sister, who was shooting daggers with her eyes. But she hadn't said a word of protest about getting set up on a date.

"So is one-thirty okay with you, Maggie?"

"Umm, sure. I'll meet you there, Glenn." She waved as he walked backwards away from the house, almost tripping on the porch stairs. But as soon as the door closed, Maggie turned on her sister. "You are so dead."

Beth shrieked, dropping the pizza on the kitchen table as she ran through the house. Finally, Maggie had her cornered behind the armchair. Beth clutched one of the couch cushions for extra protection. "Don't be ashamed that you're sweet on the pizza boy!"

"I do not have a crush on Glenn," said Maggie, dodging to the left. But Daryl's training had paid off. Beth was able to anticipate the move and whacked her sister with the pillow for good measure.

"I'm gonna remind you of that in five years when I'm holding my half-Asian nephew. Or niece."

"He's Korean!"

Beth had been about to slip out from behind the chair to gather more ammo from the couch, but she halted mid-step. Suddenly, her sister's movie choices were very clear. "You really like him, don't you?"

"I do n—" Maggie's arm was drawn back, ready to launch a pillow at her sister. Instead, she collapsed into the armchair, her brow furrowed. "Maybe I do like him. But he's so not my type."

"Because he actually likes you back?"

"No, because he's—you really think he likes me?" she asked, tucking a lock of short brown hair behind her ear.

Plopping down on the floor, Beth resisted the urge to goad her sister some more and patted Maggie's hand reassuringly. "I'm pretty sure he's not driving all the way out here for a five dollar tip."

As Maggie turned that thought over in her head, her smile grew. "Well, we should start the movie so I have somethin' to talk about tomorrow."

Beth made her way back to the kitchen, calling upstairs to her father to let him know that dinner was on the table. She grabbed a couple of sodas and put two slices each onto their plates. By the time she returned to the living room, Maggie had the movie set up and ready to play. Per tradition, they sprawled out on the floor, trying to find a spot that was close enough to the fire to stay warm but not so close that it was hot.

"What about your love life?" said Maggie as she took a bite of pizza. "I noticed that Jimmy hasn't been by, so I guess that's over. Are you dating anyone at school?"

"Jimmy and I broke up over a year ago. We just went to prom together 'cause it was easier. And all of our friends were going, so..." Beth shrugged and chewed her pizza thoughtfully. "Of course, there's always Daryl and his motorcycle."

"Oh God, I'd almost forgotten. I'm glad it was just Daryl. I did not want to have to lie to Daddy about you havin' a biker boyfriend."

"What's wrong with bikers?" asked Beth, shooting her sister a sidelong glance. "And besides, would it be so impossible to believe that me and Daryl were datin'? I mean, Daddy was no spring chicken when he married my momma."

"No, but she wasn't in her first year of college, either," said Maggie. She raised her eyebrows in mock-seriousness at her sister. "Why? Are you dating Daryl Dixon?"

"No," she said. Her shoulders slumped as she picked up her pizza only to put it back down. "But would that be so bad? I mean, he's a decent guy. I could do worse."

"I know he's a decent guy, but, Bethy, he's at least twice your age. Just 'cause he's not as old as Daddy doesn't mean he couldn't have a kid your age." Maggie sighed, reaching out to push a stray lock of her sister's hair back in place. "Look, I remember my years at college, okay? I remember datin' older guys and maybe a professor or two. But I'm afraid you're gonna get your heart broken with this little schoolgirl crush of yours."

"It's not like that—"

"You two were thick as thieves back in the day, and I find it hard to believe that he was the one choosin' to follow you around. Not after he ripped into his brother for hittin' on you."

Beth stuffed her mouth with pizza, trying to buy herself some time. She didn't think Maggie had noticed how often she and Daryl had hung out together. It was still the first year after she'd taken over the farm and all of the day to day operations that Momma had always done. Daddy had helped as much as he could, but he also had his practice to run. That was partly why they'd hired on the Dixon brothers. "Maybe we're more alike than you think. Maybe we both just really needed a friend."

"It wasn't fair, losin' Annette and Shawn while you were still in high school. Lord knows, those four years are bad enough. For a little while, I was afraid we were gonna lose you too." Maggie scooted closer to her sister and squeezed her hand. Beth bit her lip, not wanting her to know how right she'd been to worry. "It was a hard time for all of us, and I'm glad you had someone to help you through it. Honestly, it doesn't surprise me that you'd have feelings for him. But maybe—"

"No, you don't understand," said Beth, pulling away. She took a deep breath, trying to control her frustration. It wasn't Maggie's fault that she didn't know why Daryl had stuck to Beth's side all summer and into the fall whether she'd wanted him to or not. It wasn't Maggie's fault that she didn't know why Beth wouldn't go into Daddy's office anymore. Only Daryl knew, and he'd kept her secret well. "Anyways, it doesn't matter because Daryl and I are just friends. Nothing more. So can we forget about it right now and watch the movie?"

"Sure, sweetie," Maggie said, a sad smile on her lips. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"I know." The words felt bitter on her tongue. She wasn't lying, not really. She just didn't want to talk about it. Talking about it would make it real. If it was real, then she'd have to deal with it. And she didn't want it to be real. She didn't want to deal with it. She just wanted to forget, to live her life like it never happened. Beth forced a smile onto her face. "Believe me, I will let you know when I have something to talk about. Okay?"

"Okay." Maggie hugged her tightly for a moment, and Beth took comfort in her sister's embrace, returning the hug. "I love you, sis."

"Love you too." Beth grabbed the remote and started the movie. "And I expect a full report when you come back from your date with the pizza boy."

"His name is Glenn, not 'pizza boy.'"

"Ugh, you're so in love with him."

"Am not."

"And you'll have the cutest babies."

"Am n—okay, maybe. He's got nice hair. And lips."

Beth grinned, sharing in her sister's happiness. And glad to get the focus off herself. Pretty soon, they were both so engrossed in the movie, both because of the subtitles and the complex plot, that it was easy to forget the conversation that came before. In fact, Beth was almost sad that she wasn't going to be there tomorrow to talk about the movie with Maggie and Glenn. But she had a feeling there would be more movies and more coffee dates yet to come.


End file.
